Rice and Beans of Life: Products

15+ products and counting ...

I like to think of myself as a 'low-maintenance' kind of gal. I'm a minimalist, I don't like clutter, I prefer to keep things simple and I most certainly don't shower everyday ... Wow, I just wrote that! Most days my outer adornments are T'shirt, jeans, flip flops and fun earrings with The Lord's day offering a prime opportunity to 'ramp it up a bit.' Those who choose to read on, and I might add continue to love me for who I am, will have good reason to differ on the fallacy my 'low maintenance' self perception.

As I bare my soul in opening this window of self-pampering, feelings of embarrassment most certainly will ensue. However, what I want you to hear is my heart is the heart of the matter. The amount of outer adornments and prideful masking of the said low maintenance gal, are simply a shell surrounding my heart ... a heart that longs for freedom as my humanness rears it's ugly head with the constant barrage of thoughts ... "what do others think of me" ... Quebrantame, transformame, moldeame a tu imagen Senor!

The Products ... I use the prideful excuse, that "my former life in cosmetology has created this side of me". In the shower alone I use 5 different products, 6 if I choose to succumb to the brazen practice of shaving my legs. Emerging from this steamy abyss of 5+ products, I reach for the first of 5 more products before I clad my humanity with said T'shirt and jeans. Unfortunately and quite embarrassingly, it doesn't stop there ... There are 5 more products that grace yours truly before facing life outside the Yellow House. Necessities, I tell you, these are of utmost necessity ... Can you hear Him? He's laughing at me ...

I mean, if my hair isn't cared for with shampoo, conditioner, mousse, and frizz control, the women I minister to might see Jesus differently! And, if my skin were not moisturized using two different products with the sweetest sent, they might not know His sweet fragrance. God forbid, yup, if my eyes are not adorned with eye liner and mascara, my lips not touched delicately with tinted gloss, they might find His appearance unappealing! Necessities ... This line of thinking is no more ridiculous than assuming you all would look at me differently as said missionary if after 3 years of life overseas I were to gain 15 pounds and have not masked my silvery tresses of wisdom with a color not my own! Nope, the products, can not mask my heart ... if my heart is full of the pride of wondering "what do others think of me," one would most certainly see Jesus as frizzy, stinky and unappealing!

Jesus, the sweetest, purest love ever offered wore the same attire ... Every. Single. Day. Those who chose to listen and follow, loved Him for who He was. I'm pretty sure it was His heart they loved and not his hair, smell or clothing. Did He shower? Who knows, but one can most certainly ascertain, He did not use 15+ products when preparing to feed the 5000 on the hillside!

The struggle is real ... Pampering Products of Pride ...
Break me, transform me, mold me in Your image Senor

Life on the Mountain

A week of meetings in preparation for the activities of summer ... wrapped up time with two teams and sent them packing, so thankful for their hard work, ministry and desire to share the love of Jesus with us and the world He sent them to ... Celebrated life with my El Nido Mama, thanking God for one year of life with her twins ... Sharing life with my 'sista's in ministry' over coffee ... Rain and more rain from a tropical depression ... Friday night plans changed, blessed with a night to relax at home ... Saturday breakfast date with the boys, worship practice and "walking through the waters" with dear friends ... Sunday morning worship team, Holy Spirit lead as sickness overtook the majority of the 'normal' team ...

Praises

-Father knows our heart in worship

-Forgiveness

-Family night

-Landlords who fix things

-Early morning walks, late night talks

Prayers

-Father, break us, transform us, mold us in YOUR image

-Vida220 teams traveling home Monday and Tuesday, PLEASE PRAY for safety as they travel through Nicaragua

-Friends as they "walk through challenging waters"

-Micah and Joseph, determination as they finish up school